You may have heard of Yona Yona, the beer brand of Yo-Ho Brewing Company in Karuizawa, Japan. Currently exported in the US, Australia, Korea, Singapore, Malaysia and Taiwan, their fine ales have steadily gained international acclaim, beginning with their flagship “Yona Yona Ale” which has won gold medals at the International Beer Competition, one of the 3 biggest beer competitions in the world, 8 years in a row.

Yona Yona Beer Works, their official beer bar with six locations in Tokyo, has also gained a reputation as a favorite after-work hangout and go-to gastropub for excellent craft beer paired with great food.

So, when we heard they were opening their newest location in Ebisu, our Grape Japan staff made a beeline to the beer bar to find out what all the fuss was about.

The entrance is flanked with beer kegs, and the impressive copper tower in the center with rows of draft beer taps beckons you inside.

As soon as you find a seat at one of the tables or at the counter, you'll have a menu of choices. The more unusual of the offerings, and incidentally, one you may already know since it was made with the foreign market in mind, is the Sorry Umami IPA, probably the only beer in the world made with umami-rich katsuobushi, the shavings of a dried bonito and one of the essential ingredients in the dashi stock ubiquitous in Japanese cuisine.

The helpful staff recommended their Indo no Aooni (India's blue demon), an IPA with just the right amount of bitterness and a refreshing citrus note. Another suggestion was their Suiyobi no Neko (Wednesday cat), a light wheat beer which seems to be popular. If you're in the mood for something darker and with more body, the Tokyo Black is a satisfying porter you'll enjoy.

We decided to go with the Indo no Aooni, and ordered some of their recommended sausages to go with it. They have an amazing variety of flavors, even including more exotic choices like truffle and venison, but we went with the most popular trio of chili curry, plain pork and Japanese peppercorn. We can confidently say they have every right to recommend them. Juicy and flavorful, these sausages didn't stay long on our plates.

Looking for some greens to balance the hearty meat selections, we opted for their Green Salad with Grilled Mushroom, a very satisfying combination of greens with lightly steamed broccoli, roasted root vegetables, grilled maitake and eryngii, bacon with a tangy dressing. The half portion is more than enough for one and even good to share between two people. The full portion is decidedly a main dish.

Of course, we couldn't leave without trying their famous rotisserie chicken, which comes in half or full portions and in plain or spicy versions. We chose the spicy half-portion. Crispy on the outside, succulent on the inside, with a spicy aftertaste that begs for another swig of ale.

We didn't stay long enough to try their beer tiramisu, which certainly sounds adventurous, but we were quite satisfied with our meal all the same.

Premium Fridays

Just announced yesterday, if you stop by between 3 pm and 6 pm, you can try one of their seven major ales (shown on the menu in the picture above) in a regular size for only 500 yen (normal price: 730 yen).

If you want to peruse their whole menu, get more information about their Ebisu and other five locations and make a reservation, visit their website here.

Yona Yona means "night after night," out of Yo-Ho Brewing Company's wish to create a beer so good you could drink it 365 days a year. Yona Yona Beer Works might not be a place you'd go every night of the year, but it's certainly worth a visit every Friday.